CHICAGO (WLS) — The sound of roaring engines is not just a familiar hum; it is the heartbeat of a lifelong dream.

“You know, when I got into this career, I didn’t think about doing it to be a role model. I wanted, one, to do it because I love to travel and I love the job, but two, also, because people used to tell me that I couldn’t do it, because there weren’t a lot of females,” said United Airlines Pilot Gabrielle Harding.

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According to Centre for Aviation, women make up around 5-6% of airline pilots in the U.S. And organizations like Sisters of The Skies estimate there are fewer than 150 Black women pilots in the U.S.

“Women belong everywhere. There is no job that’s meant for a specific person or gender,” Harding said.

Harding says her love for the skies started when she was about 15, during her first flight program run by the Tuskegee Airmen.

“My first flight instructor was an original TA, so little did I know at the time, when I was 15 and 16 taking flight lessons, that there was history sitting next me,” Harding said.

The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American military pilots in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, known for their bravery, skill, and role in desegregating the military.

“It was something I never thought about growing up in the inner city to become an airline pilot. I never saw anyone that looked like me in that position. And when I was flying that airplane, and I got an opportunity to meet and talk to the Tuskegee Airmen who were running that program, I realized that this is something that I can do,” Harding said.

With every takeoff, Harding is not just flying; she’s breaking barriers, proving that the cockpit has room for everyone.

“So, when they see someone that looks like them in this position, it makes a big difference. There’s so many girls that have come up to me and they say, ‘Because I see you, now, I want to be an airline pilot,'” Harding said.

Harding is a member of Sisters of The Skies, a nonprofit organization comprised of professional Black women pilots. All of them are dedicated to increasing the number of Black women in the aviation industry through mentorship, professional development, STEM outreach, and scholarships.